La Ventana Through A Different Lens
Issue 86 / Tue 13th Apr, 2021
Most park riding pros jet from one lagoon paradise to the next in search of the flattest water out there. With limited travel options, Jack Rieder found himself revisiting his old stomping grounds in Mexico, where flat water is in short supply. Read about his Baja adventure now!
If you're from the Pacific Northwest, Mexico is one of the must-go spots to escape from the winter cold. I live in Squamish, on Canada's Sunshine Coast. That nickname is not so accurate in winter, so my family was always on the lookout for a winter getaway.
My very first kite holiday was six years ago in La Ventana. We had so much fun that my family went back for the Christmas season for the next three years in a row! We stayed at what used to be called Captain Kirk's and is now known as Pelican Reef Ventana. It was a family holiday that I looked forward to every year, but it has been a few years since I've been back.
As much as I missed that annual winter trip to Mexico, competitions and training in different parts of the world kept me away from the winter sun. The draw of perfect flat water freestyle conditions in countries like Brazil was too hard to resist!
I hadn't foreseen a return visit for quite some time, but current travel restrictions meant that Mexico was one of the only countries that would be easily accessible. I set off with a picture of La Ventana in my mind and some uncertainty of how accurate my memory would be. I knew I would enjoy myself, but I had become accustomed to world-class freestyle conditions and kite parks. Would La Ventana stand up to my now spoiled expectations?
Whispers had been going around the park riding community about Choco Lake, not too far from La Ventana. It's more accurately defined as a pond than a lake, and the local crew had built a kite park there. They set up a corrugated rail, shotgun up rail, and a large up-flat, which became my go-to feature.
In previous years, I had spent time in the shallow park without a worry in the world. This year, however, I was particularly cautious of the shallow water. My recent trip to South Africa left me stuck on crutches for several months with a broken femur after crashing in the shallow waters of Hermanus, near Cape Town. Nonetheless, I had a fantastic first week with non-stop 9m conditions, sharing the water with all the incredible kiters in town.
Kiting is a small community, so we tend to link up with our friends across the world. Sometimes it's planned, but most often, everyone just happens to chase the wind to the same place. We had gathered a small crew consisting of myself, my girlfriend Nadja, and our friends Nemo and Sam. We would ride in the park together, film each other, and wrap up nearly every day with a group dinner. We basically lived the cheesy line "eat, kite, sleep, repeat".
Then the rain came. We took a couple days off while we waited for the weather to clear. Finally, we woke up to bright blue skies and piled into the ATV for an adventure back out to Choco Lake. Along the way, we were met with the craziest Baja mud, slipping and sliding all the way there. It was an absolute blast! What we saw after we arrived, however, was shocking.
The rails were now high and dry without any logical explanation, and the already small pond was unrideable. Choco Lake fills up when waves crash over the barrier between the pond and the ocean when strong winds and high tides combine. We had assumed that the lake would be even more full after heavy rainfall, but for some reason, the exact opposite happened.
The lack of water in the pond forced us into the ocean for the remainder of our trip. The ocean conditions in La Ventana are probably the most challenging freestyle conditions I have ever ridden and, honestly, quite frustrating. I still enjoyed the occasional freestyle session ocean, but I wasn't willing to force it in sketchy, choppy conditions.
Back in South Africa, I remember the pain I felt lying in that shallow water with a broken leg. It was a hard-learned lesson. That lesson was: I love freestyle, but sometimes the conditions just aren't right, and it isn't worth the risk or struggle.
Typically, having no flat water would have put a damper on my excitement to ride. This year, things were different. I had come prepared with gear for big air, foiling, and even winging. Instead of taking unnecessary risks to practice freestyle, I explored all the other disciplines that kiteboarding has to offer, and I was STOKED!
My first Freewing from Airush had arrived the day before the trip, and I was looking forward to learning to wing while I was there. The massive crowd of wingers that had taken over the bay got me even more motivated. With limited space in my kite bag, I had only brought my kite foil board to ride, which proved difficult. To water start with the wing, I needed a ton of wind. Luckily, the wind was in solid supply this season!
I learned how to manage lighter wind the hard way, resulting in a few long walks back upwind when I couldn't find enough power to get foiling. Walking along a warm, sandy beach wasn't so bad, so I still felt great even through the learning process. When the wind really picked up, the resulting large swell created perfect winging conditions. I could foil surf in through the swells with the wing by my side and plenty of power to get back upwind after my surf was done. I wasn't sure how I felt about winging before this trip, but now, it's safe to say that I am sold!
A classic La Ventana experience is the downwinder, something I had missed out on in all of my previous years visiting. This year that would change. We organised a downwinder with our friends, leaving from the Hot Springs roughly 5km north and exploring the shoreline all along the way. The starting point was extremely gusty, but once we made it away from the shore, the wind cleaned up, and the fun began.
Everyone was jumping over each other, showing off, and laughing at all of the epic crashes. When we found a section of organised waves along the reef, I was blown away. These were perfect for big boosts, and we made sure to make the most of it. I was even more surprised to find crystal blue water sections with perfect white sand below. I had never thought of La Ventana as tropical, but these little pieces of paradise made me feel like I was in the Caribbean. After so many years of looking at La Ventana through a freestyle lens, I finally saw a whole new side of this beautiful place.
Finally, there was a break from the constant 25 knots, and I enjoyed some sessions working on my foiling skills. Once again, I was proud to have come prepared with all my gear because I would have watched from the sidelines had I not brought my foil. Exploring the bay in calm, sunny, and warm conditions with barely any wind was a new experience. I could hardly foil the last time I was in La Ventana!
As much as I love foiling, light-wind sessions can only be exciting for so long, so Nadja and I decided to take a trip to the Baja coast, another first for me! I never had my driver's license in previous visits, so I was limited to walking distance or snagging rides out to the park. This year, Nadja drove down from LA, and we were free to explore all over with her vehicle. Her description of the drive down had me so inspired that I have set a new goal for next year: To drive from Squamish all the way down the Baja peninsula. The trip would start in the fall, snagging kite sessions along the entire west coast, off-roading, and camping at remote spots. At the end of the long drive, an epic season of park riding, winging, foiling, and big air awaits in Mexico!
I was already mentally planning my next trip, but this one wasn't over yet. We packed our tent and marshmallows and set off. We ended up at Cerritos Beach, just south of Todos Santos. On the west side of the Baja peninsula, the sun sets directly over the water, and we were treated to one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen. To top it off, a giant whale breached right near shore. It was one of those moments you can't even believe just happened.
We set up camp and built our fire, settling in for an evening of marshmallows and San Pellegrino's. It was a tad warmer than the snow camping I had just done back home! We woke up the next day, ready for some surfing, but the waves were not on the same page. Instead, we explored along the coastline, spotted more whales, and returned to La Ventana to catch more wind in the forecast.
La Ventana has now earned its place back up at the top of my list for winter escapes, and I can't wait to make it a yearly adventure. All in all, it was similar to how I had remembered it. Yet, this year stood out because I experienced so much more. I explored brand new parts of La Ventana and the Baja peninsula for the first time and was stunned by both the beauty and contrast between each spot. I cannot wait to get back next year and explore even more off the beaten path and out of my comfort zone.
Videos
By Jack Rieder
